Benefi ts of an open standard
Phil Kidner, chief executive of the TETRA Association, outlines the organization’s role in developing, promoting and protecting critical communications for all professional users
About the association
development and promotion of TETRA critical communications for professional users. Formerly known as the TETRA MoU (Memorandum of Understanding), it was established in 1994 to act on behalf of all interested parties in the development of the TETRA telecommunications standard. Members include manufacturers, application
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providers, integrators, operators, test houses and, telecom agencies. Today the TETRA Association represents more than 150 organizations from all continents of the world. The association provides a forum for all who are
Top: the 2008 Olympic Games
in Beijing, one of a growing list of
major world events
supported by TETRA networks for critical communications (picture: EADS)
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interested in TETRA to encourage the development of the technology, the adoption of the standard, and to drive and support initiatives to ensure appropriate levels of spectrum to enable the market expansion of operational TETRA systems.
For more information, contact the author directly at
phil.kidner@
tetra-association.com, or at the association’s offi ces,
admin@tetra-association.com
Phil Kidner, chief executive of the TETRA Association
he TETRA Association leads the global
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ETRA is an open telecommunications standard developed by ETSI. T e main purpose behind the standard was to defi ne a series of open interfaces,
as well as services and facilities, in suffi cient detail to enable independent manufacturers to develop interoperable infrastructure and terminal products that would meet the needs of private mobile radio (PMR) user organizations. T e initial responsibility of ETSI Project TETRA – now
known as ETSI Technical Committee (TC) TETRA – was to deliver a set of standards, under a mandate from the European Commission, for a digital trunked PMR communications system that could be deployed in Western Europe. As well as producing these mandatory ETSI deliverables
(now completed), TC TETRA’s responsibility was, and still is, to make sure that the portfolio of standards continues to be developed in accordance with users’ needs and priorities. Although the prime responsibility of ETSI is to develop
standards for Europe, many are adopted worldwide – as evidenced by the uptake of GSM, the fi rst wireless technology standard to be developed by ETSI. Similarly, TETRA has been deployed across the world and is now a truly global standard.
Confi dence and choice T ere is no doubt that a proprietary technology solution can be brought to market faster than one conforming to a recognized open standard. However, large user organizations, especially those in the public sector, have recognized that, while some proprietary solutions can meet their needs, the tie-in to a single supplier can have signifi cant disadvantages. Main advantages and benefi ts of adopting an open
standard are: a large, harmonized market served by several independent manufacturers and suppliers competing for the same
TE TRA TODAY Issue 2 February - April 2011
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